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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23613559">Partners in crime</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katherin_Ravenlin/pseuds/Katherin_Ravenlin'>Katherin_Ravenlin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Grimm (TV), Zorro - The Chronicles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, Eye Color, F/F, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Reincarnation, Revenge, Running Away, Secret Relationship, War</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:27:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23613559</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katherin_Ravenlin/pseuds/Katherin_Ravenlin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Diego screams from the top of his lungs as he sees Carmen fall - he sees her face for the last time, through the window of the prisoner carriage before the cart fell down the cliffs, straight towards the sea. Diego screamed and heard her scream as well, to scream his name. "Diegooooo!"</p><p>Sean Renard woke from his sleep, sweaty, shaking and panting, still under the effect of the nightmare. He panted, holding his face in his shaking hand when a body moved next to him. A calloused hand stroked his back and strong arms were wrapped around him. "I am here, Sean," the man breathed, kissing him softly on the nape. "I am here."<br/>~~~~~<br/>Also, an alternative universe where the story of Zorro did actually happen and the two of them - Zorro and his love - reincarnate in another body to finish their mission - and hopefully not to make the same mistakes like last time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nick Burkhardt/Sean Renard, Zorro/Other(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Sweet dream are made of this</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082727">2 years from now</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayumie/pseuds/ayumie">ayumie</a>.
        </li>
        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/582529">Grimm Fic: 5 years from now</a> by aymie.
        </li>

    </ul><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Faith has funny ways to show how you the path.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The young woman gazed out from her balcony into the darkness of the late night. She was waiting for something; a noise, a change of wind, a whisper, a movement. Anything that might indicate that <i>he</i> is about to arrive. She knew it wasn't right. She was in engagement with Diego and they were going to get married. But he changed, she thought she lost her Diego, he wasn't even the same person anymore. And Zorro... she didn't know about him anything. Literally anything, he wouldn't uncover himself, not even to her. She didn't know how wealthy he was, if he was a murderer, a criminal, if he had a wife or family or not... and she still couldn't stop wanting him by her side. <i>"I am a horrible person"</i> thought Carmen for the hundredth times as she let her head fall lightly against the pillar. <i>"And why does being a bad person not bother me?"</i></p>
<p>"How come that you choose me from all, dark knight of righteousness?" she muttered with a smile.</p>
<p>"She speaks," came a male voice in awe from the other side of the balcony and she turned there, slightly scared, but smile blossomed on her face as soon as she caught sight of the masked face and the beautiful green eyes.</p>
<p>"Quoting Shakespear?" she asked smiling as she stepped forward and led her palm on his chest.  After a second she leaned her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.</p>
<p>After a minute of silence the man decided to speak up. "What is troubling you, shining star?" Carmen sighed deep. "It is not that important," she said. Zorro frowned. "You can tell me," he said silently. "But can you tell me?" Carmen asked, pulling away, looking into his eyes. "Are you a criminal? Is anybody's blood on your hand?"</p>
<p>"No," he said, voice grave serious. It hurt to see that Carmen was hard on herself because she thought she was cheating on him and it just made him love her only more. "I would have countless possibilities to kill the ones who were torturing the folk, but they are still breathing and relatively unharmed," he said, and Carmen nodded slowly.</p>
<p>The stared at each other with heavy eyes; not heavy with passion but with caution, sorrow and love.</p>
<p>"I swore to protect our folk. And I swore I will always protect you," he said, falling on his knee and putting his hand over his heart.</p>
<p>Carmen slowing sunk to her knees as well, putting one hand over her heart and another one on the man's face, making him look up with surprised eyes. "And I swear to help you."</p>
<p>
  <b>~~~~F~~~~</b>
</p>
<p>The night the man spent his first night in his brand new apartment in Portland, the Bastard Prince had this weird dream. Him being Zorro and loving a girl with a great mind and bright, icy blue eyes. This dream kept returning, over and over again, after the first time he saw it.</p>
<p>Sean Renard fled through his whole life. He was never really at peace, never home so when they made him the Captain by the Portland PD he swore to always protect them. He was the guardian of Portland and these men were in the tightest sense of the word <i>his</i> responsibility. </p>
<p>They <i>belonged</i>to him to <i>protect.</i></p>
<p>And Sean Renard will protect what is his.</p>
<p>
  <b>~~~~F~~~~</b>
</p>
<p>Galopping through the abyss won't save him for long and he knew it. Diego - Zorro - thought about ways out, but there was none. He could only fight his way out from here. When there was no more road he had to stop. He pulled out his sword and prepared himself for the fight. <i>"Maybe now I will have to break my promise, my lady"</i> he thought sadly as he braced himself for the fight.</p>
<p>He was almost done, almost out of there, all of the soldiers knocked out and lying unconsciously on the hard rocks when Captain Monasterio caught him. He felt a sharp hit on his head and he fell off of Tornado and he couldn't fight back very effectively when the captain reached out to yank off his mask. He knew he lost and that he will probably end up in prison. He struggled and tough, but there was nothing to be done.</p>
<p>But before his identity could have been revealed somebody attacked Monasterio and the man fell to the floor. Diego blinked, shocked and behind the fallen man stood a very unusual figure. Clearly a woman but wearing a man's clothes, all in black and wearing a mask, identical to his own. Only when he looked into her eyes did he recognise who it was, shining, witty, bright blue eyes were looking back at him. "M'lady," he said, dumbfounded and amazed. Carmen just smiled, lowering the sword, that's handle knocked out Monasterio and offered her hand. "Let's get out of here, my knight. Shall we?" and Zorro gladly obeyed.</p>
<p>They fled through valleys and clearings. Only when they finally reached Zorro's hideout did the man spoke up.</p>
<p>"Why did you save me?" he asked. Carmen looked at him with determination, love and patience. "Do you know who I am?" she asked as if the answer would be the answer to his question. "I think I do," Diego answered. "Than you know I swore to help you, Zorro," she said, stepping closer, stroking the side of his face.</p>
<p>"I have decided. As you ready may know, I am engaged and I always had a bitter taste in my mouth because of what we do; because I was cheating on my fiancé. He is a good man, and I will love him and make him happy. But you are the one who will move this world further, who steps and does what needs to be done. And I want to be on the side of the acts that make this world a better place. And I have decided, that our affair may be cheating on him, but I want to stay by your side and fight by your side. As long as I am welcome."</p>
<p>Diego felt tears stinging his eyes as he blinked rapidly and one teardrop ran down his cheek. His Carmen was all he dreamed of ever since he became Zorro - she was brave, unapologetic, and willing to stand by his side, despite the danger or the consequences. Because she believed in the cause he was fighting for. Carmen's surprised face turned into shock when Zorro got hold of her hand and with her hand, he removed his mask; revealing himself. Carmen gaped at him for a second and then gave him the most passionate kiss they have ever shared.</p>
<p>"We will make history, side by side, my love."</p>
<p>The kiss was intimate, intoxicating and hopeful.</p>
<p>
  <b>~~~~F~~~~</b>
</p>
<p>Nick Burkhardt had so enough of Sean Renard. As he headed to the dead Blutbad's house his anger bubbled higher and higher in his chest. He will beat the crap out of that men, he hated him so much. He stole the key, he got his aunt killed and used him for months! He's gonna beat that stubborn, strong, handsome head into piece... wait, what?! What was he thinking?</p>
<p>Later on Renard was explaining thing about the Royal families, the Verrat and a lot of other things about this insane world, did he just realise, how small he was in this whole story. "If you and I can overcome our differences, we will make history." Nick was so, so sceptic about this. "And if we can't?" "Then history will bury us."</p>
<p>On that night, Nick squeezed his eyes tightly shut in the darkness, lying in his bed with Juliette and thinking about what Renard said.</p>
<p>When sleep got the better of him, he saw the exact same green eyes that he was today in the forest. Those green eyes were not on the same face but he heard the same, deep and smooth voice, filled with adoration and determination as he heard him saying "We will make history, side by side, my love," and then they kissed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There is more coming soon ;)<br/>Please leave feedback</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. What are you gonna do when there's blood in the water?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"How could we get rid of them? They are everywhere!" Carmen said, huffing angrily as she hit a tree with her fist. They managed to get away from the soldiers but it was a close run and they couldn't seem to be able to put up with the number of soldiers the state sent to guard the labour camp where they sent slaves into the mine. They had to free them because they will die down there, stare to death or die because of the injuries they get from punishments. But there were too many soldiers.</p><p>Diego rubbed his head. They would have to be way more than just two persons to fight off that much soldiers. Cutting off their shipments of food and water would also not work, because they would deny it from the poor slaves first, and they would start them to death. His he's hurt but he kept thinking. They have to do something!</p><p>"Diego," Carmen said suddenly, breathing the words, hit by the recognition. "We have to do something from the inside," she said and Diego's eyes widened. There were more than enough people. The slaves. He looked at his princess and future wife, eyes filled with adoration, admiration and pride. "You are the brightest star of this town," he said with a soft voice, and stepped to her, kissing her forehead lovingly. When he pulled back he saw her smiling wide and proud.</p><p>"We need to plan," she said and Diego nodded. "We can't make them run into danger. We have to somehow disable the guards. And we have to search for a place for them to hide afterwards." Carmen nodded. "We could send them off on a ship. I have a friend more in the north. She could lead them to somewhere safe," she said. Diego frowned. "She would tell the police or ask you questions probably," he said, worried. Carmen just smiled. "Oh no, she won't. She disagrees with slavery just as much as I do. And she will find them a safe place. If you don't know the forest where she lives, you can get lost in them and never be found. She can give them a safe place."</p><p>"I love you, my star," said Diego with adoration and his green eyes glittered with love. "I know," said Carmen with a smirk, giving him a kiss. "I love you too, my knight."</p><p>
  <b>~~~~F~~~~</b>
</p><p>Nick saw it in his dreams as Monroe laid lifeless on the ground, it kept haunting his dreams. He was shaking, sweating and panting when he woke up. He rubbed his face and neck when he heard steps from the door. It was Renard, staring back at him with calm, waiting eyes.</p><p>As they became allies with the men they started to spend more and more time together. Working on cases, doing research, taking out dangerous Wesen and sometimes between those activities just have a beer and enjoy their time together.</p><p>Nick doesn't exactly know when exactly did he start to fall for his handsome Captain. He had Monroe teasing him about it all the time and even though he used to be so annoyed with the Lutbad for it, denying that he ever found Sean Renard attractive - of course, he did - but now he wished that he could hear him mocking him about it again. As he looked up at his unrequited crush and though about his now-dead best friend, one tear slipped down on his face. He felt the wet tingle travelling down on his face, stopping at the corner of his mouth.</p><p>"Nick", said Renard quietly, stepping into the room cautiously because Nick sent everybody away for three days already who have tried to talk to him. He carried a glass of water and gave it to Nick. Nick took it with a grimace that was probably meant to be grateful but turned out only to be grim as the man grabbed the glass and emptied it in one go.</p><p>Sean took Nick in into his house after Monroe's death. He didn't want to let the man out of his sight when he was in such low. The black-haired man could have ended up something stupid, such as going after the Verrat in a suicide mission, harming himself or starting to hunt down every Hundjäger he found; and Sean couldn't have that. He told himself, that the urge to protect and help Nick comes from sane reasons. A happy and healthy Grimm, who thinks around him as a friend would be a huge advantage in case of a conflict with his family, and also useful for solving smaller, local problems and keeping the Wesen folk at bay. This is what he told himself. But the truth was that he hopelessly and irreversibly fell for his bright detective and handsome Grimm.</p><p>Sean had no idea when his feeling has turned into a love for the Grimm but he found that there was no real use of thinking about this. He loved Nick with all of his frozen, shattered heart, and he will be there for him.</p><p>"Thank you," the man answered.</p><p>"Nick, I-"</p><p>"I don't want to wait, Sean. I can't wait anymore," the Grimm said with a hard look in his eyes, silently determined. Renard frowned. "What do you mean?" Nick shook his head.</p><p>Nick told him his idea. He told him he wants war against the Families; because as Nick said, their soldiers are like this creature in old mythology: you cut one head off and there will be two growing back into its place. They had to solve the problem at the source. Sean slowly started to recognise what his secret love was offering, when he said: "And the Bastard Prince on his own is a threat enough, and the Grimm of Portland too. But together?". Nick was offering alience, against his family and against the intruders who threatened his territory.</p><p>"What you are suggesting is war," he said, stepping one step closer, into the room.</p><p>"I am suggesting to behead the ones who send Hungjägers into your territory," said Nick, turning towards him in bed; and damn, he had a point with that.</p><p>"I am suggesting making the world safe from all the terror and bloodbath they caused," he continued, placing his foot on the floor and standing up, fluidly and gracefully. Sean felt the predator, the Grimm and the power of it underneath the man's skin, and he felt hot, his Zauberbiest struggling to show itself, excited, but not spoiling for a fight. Oh, no, his Zauberbiest was screaming at him to claim, to fuck and to mark, to make this man his and keep him safe forever. Seeing Nick stand up and only wearing loose training pants and nothing else did not help him cool down either.</p><p>"I am suggesting to slaughter the ones who are responsible for the death of Monroe," Nick said, stepping towards him like a jaguar, wild blue eyes shining with determination and something else too in the dim light of the room that came in from the corridor. Sean tried not to show it how much it meant to him as Nick touched his naked chest and pushed his unbuttoned shirt off his shoulder to uncover the faded scar where he took a bullet, to protect Nick once. Nick watched the scar fixated, mesmerized for a second before looking up at him with the most beautiful and hypnotising eyes ever. </p><p>"I am suggesting to start a war against ones who are never going to stop and the one who wanted to kill you since you were conceived."</p><p>Sean sucked a deep breath in, enjoying how Nick's warm palm lead on his shoulder. He resisted licking his lips but he couldn't help but blink at the man's lips before he looked back into those burning-blue eyes again. The Grimm was suggesting all-out war and not that Sean did not entertain the thought of open rebellion before, but it was still too risky. Nick seemed to have noticed his hesitation because he decided to give him the final push, by leaning even closer and stroking his hand all over his face, on the side where his Woge appears.</p><p>"I am suggesting to start a war against the ones who would kill us, because together-" said Nick, eyes aflame with something that was maybe insanity and fire, glittering from underneath raven black eyelashes "we would be too perfect and strong to handle."</p><p>His restrains snapped as Renard grabbed Nick by his waist and pushed their lips together. Nick grabbed his neck and kissed back without hesitation, hot tounges dancing on each other feverishly and with ease. Sean backed him towards a wall, crowding him against the hard surface and he pushed their bodies together, never once parting from he addicting lips, only when Nick tried to push his shirt off his shoulders. Sean grabbed the man's arms, put them over his head, and put their forehead together.</p><p>"What do you want, Nicholas?" he growled, trying to cover up his hope and frustration, hopes, attraction and love with distrust and Wesen aggression. Even if Nick saw through this act, he did not show it as he kept talking. Eyes glazed over, his lips swollen, bitten and red Nick looked straight into his Captain's eyes, and thought: now or never. "I want you." Sean froze. <i>"This couldn't be true. It was just a trick. It wasn't possible Nick actually meant it the I way I wish he did..."</i> thought Sean. "I want you to be in you. In your mind, in your precinct, in your A-Team, in your heart, in your army and in your bed. And I want you to be in me. The partner in my crime and revenge, the king of our empire with me, side by side, I want you to be in my bed, my blood, my mind, my A-Team and in me," said Nick, eyes glittering with emotions and Sean kissed him again, softer this time.</p><p>It was like an agreement. It was admitting his feeling and feeling them being reciprocated, it was the deepest sealing of their aliens, it was burning hot, soft and beautiful.</p><p>They ended up making love that night, and when they woke up, they talked. About them, about the war, about their plans. About the past and about the future.</p><p>They took a nap, and they both woke up panting, shouting "Carmen!" and "Diego!". They blinked at each other, and after cuddling for an hour, they decided to get to the bottom of this.</p><p>
  <b>~~~~a~~~~</b>
</p><p>Sean called his mother and Nick went to announce a Gathering for all supernatural creatures, who belonged into the Portland protectorate, including Grimms.</p><p>"Mother," said Sean "how are you?" he asked with a warm tone. "I am doing just fine, Sean. You are calling me, so I might conclude that you are not." Sean smirked, his mother really knew him. "I have some questions if you could help me, Mother." "Ask ahead." "Me and Nicholas Burkhardt have seemed to have the same dream but from two different points of views on multiple occasions. Is there any explanation for you it that you know of?" "Tell me more about those dreams." And Sean did. He shared everything he knew, every single detail. "Well, Sean," he heard her answering, and he heard how amused and happy she was. "Seems like Faith has funny ways, to get what it wants." Sean frowned. "Excuse me?" he asked.</p><p>"My dear son," she began. "You have done this already in the past. You and Nicholas. You have tried to defeat that dark force none of you could accept. Back there it was the slave keepers, and now, they are the Royals. The eyes are the windows of the soul. What colour did you say was Carmen's eyes?" she asked and Sean froze as he remembered; they were the exact same colour as Nick's. "I see that you understand already," his mother said from the other end of the line softly. "You both have something to do here, Sean. And you have to do it together. You need to finish your mission because this is why Faith has decided to give you two a second chance. You were lovers and warriors in your last life, and you are nothing else now. I saw how you look at him, Sean. And I saw how he looks at you too, even if you are too blind to notice."</p><p>After ten minutes of talking, they bid goodbye. "Sean, listen." "Yes, mother?" "Do not make the same mistake again," "What mistakes?" "Only you two can see that," she said, and with that, she hung up. </p><p>In the meanwhile, Nick walked into the small restaurant what he rented for the gathering and looked around. All Wesen came, Trubel and his Mother included. It somehow warmed his heart to see her here. Nick kept eye contact with her as he walked to the middle of the room and stepped on the table standing there, smirking mischievously. The Wesens all around the room were waiting tensely and confusedly for him to say whatever he wanted to say.</p><p>"Many geese overpowers a pig," said Nick out loud, confident and clear. "And there may be Hundjägers, sent for our blood all around the city but if we work together, we can kill the threat by the root." There was dead silence in the room. They were all startled by what Nick implied on. "Nick, I know what happened to Monroe, but revenge is not the solution and-" Bud said and Nick, using his Grimm eyes, rarely as he did, stared at Bud with those pitch-black, bottomless wells of darkness. He felt even his Mother cocking an eyebrow at that, but most Wesen in the room was terrified all of a sudden. "I wish I wasn't right, Bud," he said in a low, sad voice, and in the next second, he threw himself at Garrett, the peaceful and social Königschlange in the protectorate. The young men's instincts kicked in but too late, and Nick threw him to the wall and held him in a chokehold too fast for anyone to do anything about it. There were howls, growls and screams.</p><p>"I am not the one to be afraid of!" Nick roared as he let Garrett go and watched as the young man snarled at him, betrayal sitting in his eyes. "Garrett, sorry, but you were the one, who had the best chance winning against me," he said friendly, offering his hand, but loud enough for everyone to hear clearly. "And without help, the Hundjägers would have put me down if I would have been alone even once," he said now, loud, obviously meant to everyone. "This is not revenge, what I want, Bud," he said, calm but determined, looking at the Eisbieber now. "This is self-defence. All I am asking you to do is self-defence."</p><p>Silence sat on the room. Everyone seemed to understand that even if Nick disabled most of the threat, they wouldn't be able to do anything in case they were to be subjected to an attack.</p><p>"What do you want, Nick?" asked Rosalee asked. "I want you to follow exactly what I say because this is the only way I and Prince Renard will be able to protect you and keep everything in the bay for minimum a year," he said. "But killing them here will result in only more being sent, Nick," said Zoe, a brave and friendly Eisbiber woman. Nick held her dear, she was amazing, funny and intelligent, never one to panic, and now she had a good point, he has to admit it. "I know. This, what we ask of you, to follow the orders we sent out, will only be a small fraction of the plan. You only have to worry about the stuff we will ask of you," he said with a gentle face.</p><p>"What are you going to do?" asked Kelly Burkhardt casually, but everyone turned towards her and silence fell on the room immediately. Nick looked at her for a long moment, the two of them staring unblinkingly at each other, and at the same time, like in the second before running into a fight without a weapon, the adrenaline and excitement kicking in, their Grimm side sang thrilled and excited as they slowly grinned at each other predatorily. "What do you want?"</p><p>"War."</p>
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